As atomization technologies, there have been known spraying, an ultrasonic atomization technology, an electrostatic atomization technology, and the like. Among others, the electrostatic atomization technology has an advantage of low running cost.
An electrostatic atomizing device used in the conventional electrostatic atomization technology is configured as follows.
The conventional electrostatic atomizing device includes a hollow and fine needle electrode (capillary) having a lower end immersed in a solution to be atomized, and a counter electrode for generating an appropriate electric field between the counter electrode and the needle electrode, the counter electrode having, for example, a ring shape. The solution siphoned up through the needle electrode due to a capillary phenomenon is finely divided by the electric field between the needle electrode and the counter electrode so that the solution is atomized. In this way, fine particles of the solution (mist) are generated.